Genesis 2

"Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone.  I will make a helper who is like him.'"

Genesis 2:18

This chapter retells the Creation story from a more personal, God's-eye-view approach.  Here, we see details that weren't mentioned in the first chapter, such as the naming of the animals.  Interestingly, the order of Creation seems to have been rearranged...  for instance this chapter shows the animals being formed after man, so that the man could name them.

I like to think of this in a similar way to God's Creation of light in the first chapter.  I believe that the initial Creation was when God brought about the essence of everything, just as He knows our names before we are born, and has a plan for the future of the universe.  Now, in the second chapter, He is giving form to all that He Created.  Another way to look at it is like an architect drawing up blueprints and making a 3D model on the computer before actually constructing the building.

What new thing did I learn from this reading?  Take a look at the verse above.  Whenever we talk about this verse, we always follow by saying that God made Eve.  This isn't quite true, though.  After God says that the man shouldn't be alone, He forms all of the animals for the man to name.  It isn't until all the animals are named that God makes the woman, because "no helper was found who was like him[the man]" (2:20).

I think it's important to note that people aren't the only beings Created for us to interact with.  All of the animals, livestock, birds, etc. were also Created for us to live with.  We are a part of nature, and nature exists for our pleasure.  Ultimately, God not only Created me... He also Created the whole world for me to live in and interact with so that I won't be lonely.

Interestingly, I find that the world often makes me more lonely instead of less...  I am a very giving person, and try to give my all for my wife and son, my family and friends, but I too often forget that God needs my all more than they do.  Having a son has enlightened me a great deal about how much the Father loves His children and needs us to be with Him.  And vice versa... the way my son brightens up when I come home from work reminds me of how I brighten up when I feel the presence of God in my life.  Ultimately, I see that all of God's Creation is meant to bring us closer to Him, and therefore to not be alone.